Tips for Surviving and Thriving During the Holidays

by Kristy Walker, from ZonePerfect.com

Sugar Season begins at Halloween and finally peaks after Santa has delivered all the presents. It continues with Valentines Day candies and doesn’t slow down until the Easter Bunny brings the chocolate eggs.

This is when well-meaning relatives and friends want to share baked goodies, and you feel guilty or deprived if you don’t accept their sugary offerings.

Surviving and Thriving Holiday Tips

1. Survey before surrendering. When you walk up to that tasty-looking buffet, instead of robotically moving down the line and filling up your plate, consider all the food options that have been set before you. If certain holiday foods are staples for you and create your fondest memories, eat small portions of those. For example, if turkey just isn’t meaningful without dressing, then have a small amount of it.

2. Skip over choices that don’t make the holiday special for you. Not everything on the table will have as much significance. You might find that you can enjoy the meal while avoiding foods such as breads, pasta, potatoes, or corn. Instead, fill your plate with turkey and low-glycemic vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, or salad. Also, don’t waste your food choices on chips and dips or other appetizers.

3. Remember, protein first. Notice what protein choices are available and build your low-glycemic selections around the protein. Eat the protein portion first. This will cause you to feel quickly satisfied and make it easier to control your carbohydrate intake.

4. On the day you’re having a holiday feast, be sure to eat a high-protein, low-carb breakfast. This way, you won’t be feeling starved before the big lunch or dinner.

5. Beware of the bubbly. You’re more likely to indulge and overeat when drinking alcohol, because it can lower your inhibitions. To overcome the urge to drink alcohol you can bring your own favorite bubbly mineral water or one of the many wonderful teas on the market.

6. Not only for dinner parties but all the time, water is truly your best friend, so drink lots of it.

7. Offer to bring a low-carb dish to the party.

8. After the meal, put leftovers out of sight so you won’t be tempted to start grazing on them.

9. On the day of the holiday festivities, be sure to exercise. Start the new family ritual of taking a walk before watching the football game on television, in the morning, or after the big meal.

10. Don’t worry about what you’ve eaten for one meal on one day. If 90% of the time you’re lowcarbing according to the plan you have chosen to follow, you’ll do great even if you’ve overindulged on rare occasions.

11. When you do overeat or select higher glycemic foods, you become aware of the body’s signals that you are not in control. You become sleepy, less focused, and have no energy. Most of us, who have been lowcarbing for a while, recognize this state and don’t want to live there regularly.

Some good tips there. Thanks. We are having a turkey dinner at school on Wednesday. I will stick to plan as I may have a planned cheat on Christmas Day. So many temptations . I need to print this article out.
Norma

yes, I have to remind myself this fact.

I know that Atkins, Protein Power, Carbohydrate Addicts and the Zone all emphasize that meals and snacks must center around a quality protein food. (I confess that I am less familiar with other lowcarb regimens).

This means you really must be prepared. Plan in advance. Remember the way of life is not only lowcarb, it's also high-protein, meaning ADEQUATE protein. The Eades' explain this clearly in both Protein Power and their newest "Lifeplan". For a medium-build, sedentary woman (that's me) you should ensure at least 60 gms of protein, divided evenly through the day. Snacks should ALWAYS have protein. This is a good reminder when you are about to snarf down a "sugar free" chocolate bar. By the way, sugar-free is NOT carb-free. Anyway, what protein food are you going to have with it?? It's best for your insulin and blood sugar that you don't eat it alone. Maybe a handful of roasted nuts, or some sunflower seeds??

Hmmmm, something to think about.

Doreen